


Makeshift Lunar Interlude

by cryptidcold



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-29 21:19:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17211158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cryptidcold/pseuds/cryptidcold
Summary: (not canon compliant) After the events of Episode 19, Duck and Aubrey go to check up on their moth friend. They kick it that morning and Duck decides he wants to visit Indrid more often.





	1. Chapter 1

A steady sound of an engine hummed on a quiet road in a rather dormant part of Kepler, West Virginia. Outside the window, many establishments could be seen past the thin layer of fog settled around them, just opening up for the morning. There was an antique shop, a bookstore, a diner with a rustic vibe to it, and a vape shop. It was a late morning for Kepler, many working people had to detour their routes due to the sinkhole that both started and stopped just as quickly yesterday night. The road continued on for some time and was almost completely still. Inside the truck was not so passive. The two people that were in the front seats were Aubrey Little and Duck Newton. Aubrey was singing along dramatically to the music coming fairly loudly which was making Duck nearly wheeze with laughter. Both Ned and Duck had been acting weird since the fight and Aubrey took some comfort in at least seeing one of them being happy. Duck was almost too busy laughing at the spectacle to pay full attention to the road. They were both headed to Indrid’s Winnebago to check up on him after the last hunt and also return his ruby red glasses. Ned didn’t come on account of him “not giving a shit” in a near exact quote, but Aubrey and Duck did give a shit. Duck more so on account of him punching Indrid in order to knock his glasses off, he felt bad but at least it got Indrid safe and out of the fight. A part of Duck was worried Indrid would be mad, maybe to the point of not even letting him in to apologize.

In the midst of the chaotic show that Aubrey had been putting on, Duck cursed under his breath and swerved the car to the side, he nearly missed the turn. They reached the Eastwood Campground and RV park where Indrid’s Winnebago was parked, still the lone vehicle left on the lot. They pulled up next to the trailer, gravel and some fresh unplowed snow crunching softly below the weighty tires. They parked and hopped out grabbing both a bag and Indrid’s glasses. The bag, or what was in it rather, was an extra apology they put together once places opened up that morning for indirectly getting him kidnapped by the second goatman. 

They walked and as they went to knock on the door, they saw Indrid swing the thin door open. Both Duck and Aubrey reacted with surprise for they expected for him to have retreated to his home and hid while still in his Sylvan form but they looked up to see him in a human disguise. Instead of a tank top, he wore a baggy hoodie, the same jeans, and on his left wrist, a bracelet they’d seen in the bin Billy went through a few days ago, seemingly in place of his glasses and the disguise itself was nearly identical. He was a bit cleaner looking and his hair wasn’t as messy but who’s to say that was due to the disguise, but he looked good. The most notable change was almost undeniably weird to see. This change was seeing his eyes. Sure, they’ve known Indrid for only a few days but to see him without his giant glasses was strange. They mirrored the deep red that his spectacles had and they nearly glowed with enthusiasm as the tall man spoke.

“Hello, you two! Glad to see you faired well after last nights skirmish!” He had a short breathy laugh as he watched the two Pine Guard members before him look at each other for a second. “I know it must look strange to see me without my rather iconic glasses, but seeing as you have brought them, thank you dearly, by the way, you won’t have to put up with that for much longer”  
“We’re happy to see that you got out well too, Indrid. Sorry about doing a hit on ya by the way. l guess I was really amped up or somethin” Duck placed a hand on the back of his neck as he stared up at Indrid. For the life of him, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Indrid’s. He didn’t know why but he chalked it up to it simply being unusual to see him without the glasses. As Indrid met eyes with him and smiled, his stomach twisted a bit. Duck’s gaze was immediately broken by a figure dashing in between the two of them. Aubrey was a blur as she zoomed and grabbed Indrid’s shoulders, a quick movement that had readily braced himself before she made impact. The momentum still made him step back in order to not topple over.

“HOLY SHIT! Have they always been like that?” Aubrey asked nearly too fast for Duck to fully understand. Indrid laughs softly and pulls away from her. 

“Well, yes and no, my original ‘disguise’, if you will, has always had slightly unnatural eyes, but nowhere near as outlandish as this. I usually try to keep up some level of secrecy to avoid any prying eyes but I’ve spent so long with my glasses on it would feel wrong not having some resemblance to my true form.” He shivered and lead both Aubrey and Duck inside. Once the door was shut Indrid cupped his hands over his mouth and breathed hard for a second before rubbing them together. The heat was still excessive but as Duck looked around he noticed that he only had one space heater going. Duck felt a slight pang of worry in his stomach because in comparison to the last two times he’d been here, it was pretty cold. Aubrey and Duck both noticed that the surroundings were oddly clean, not as clean as Amnesty Lodge after Barclay went through it but cleaner than they would have imagined Indrid’s messy Winnebago to ever be. Indrid watched the two of them react to the new environment. “Do you like it? After the little escapade, my home was left in an even sorrier state than normal so I decided that not only should I clean up THAT mess but should also be more accommodating to my new friends.”

“Damn, Indrid, How long did this take you?” Duck said softly surveying the clean countertops. There were still assorted things lying about like scattered crumbled drawings that he had yet to throw away but it almost felt right to have some amount of clutter.

“No clue” Indrid said nearly immediately, he was too busy watching Duck’s face to wait the ‘normal’ amount of time before responding. Aubrey seemed like a disorganized person herself so she might not even be too impressed, but with Duck, everything about him seemed tidy. His shirts were always neatly tucked in, his hair was shaggy but not unkempt, and no matter what he always smelled nice, like the forest trees and faint cologne. Indrid. Being the complete opposite, had worried that his lifestyle had made everyone, including Duck, uncomfortable. Indrid hoped that Duck appreciated the effort at least. He noticed that Aubrey said something but hadn’t actually heard her. “I’m sorry what was that? I hit my head pretty bad yesterday”

Duck looked up and gave a concerned glance to Indrid but he didn’t match his gaze. Aubrey raised up the glasses and the bag and laughed. “Some gifts?” Indrid said ‘gifts’ in unison with her and paused looking at the bag. He seemed to stare past it for a second before shaking his head and clapped his hands.

“Right! Okay yes!” Indrid grinned and began to unfasten his bracelet. He stopped and looked at the two of them and said “I’m going to have be in my Sylvan form for a hot minute so uh, yeah.” and the bracelet fell the floor with a soft thud. Indrid’s black wings unfurled and his piercing red eyes beamed down at the now smaller figures and reached out his hand. Aubrey grinned awkwardly and handed him the pair of glasses. He was back to the same scrappy guy. It became apparent that his other disguise was made fully from scratch, while it was recognizable as Indrid, his face was sharper here and he had more of a pale olive complexion. Duck caught a quick glimpse of Indrid’s eyes before he slid his glasses on completely. They could almost be mistaken for a vibrant brown but there was a deep mahogany tint to them that made him feel warm. “I’m sorry about that, it’s bad to have two disguises going at once. Gives me a headache.”

“It’s all good, dude! We also got you this, to say sorry for, you know, leaving you with the other goat and all that.” Aubrey said lifting the bag his hands. “Now I know it’s not gonna be much of a surprise but” And she was cut off by Indrid, waving his hand in the air dismissively, massive smile upon his face.

“Trust me, ” Indrid pauses before he can even finish his first thought, he knew exactly what was going on but the thought they still got him something made him nearly tear up. “it means the world to me, clairvoyance or not.” He said softly. His fingers danced on the brown paper before he actually reached in. His fingers hesitated as he felt the cold surface of porcelain. Indrid’s eyes welled up with tears masked by the glasses as he pulled the mug out and he read the words. Nog Time!, it said on its side with a festive design around the border. Indrid beamed down at it for a solid thirty seconds. Aubrey and Duck looked at each other with a knowing grin. He felt a breathy laugh leave him before he cleared his throat. “Thank you both, this is so sweet. . .” He fell silent again and tried to ignore the feeling of regret for getting close to these two people. He didn’t want even more reasons to be worried about them getting hurt. He pushed it down and looked up at the two of them, they looked worried. “So. . . anyone want eggnog?”

 

“Sure thing, glad you like the mug” Duck said, taking a seat at the recently cleared off couch. He watched Indrid nod before putting the new mug gently on the countertop, bending over to get the eggnog out of the fridge.

“I’ll pass, you got anything else though?” Aubrey asked.

“You can certainly check, you might not find anything though” Indrid was already getting two cups ready as they gave their answers and used his new mug for his own. “Like I said when we first met, not used to guests”

Aubrey slid past him and looked into the fridge. She frowned as she saw the rather disheartening display. There was a half-empty Capri-Sun, three half gallons of nog, and an untouched thing of ancient looking grapes. Indrid handed Duck a mug of nog and he smiled and nodded as a thanks.

“Indrid? Do you eat anything? Like ever?” Aubrey did another look through the fridge. The only thing she missed was some butter in the door. He spinned around to face her and shoved his hands into the pockets of the massive hoodie.

“I mean, I’ve got pizza rolls and get take out every now and then. I might have some other snacks but I also haven’t checked in maybe two weeks.” 

“Mood but like . . .” Aubrey closed the fridge and looked Indrid. Before she could finish her thought Duck spoke up. 

“Why don’t we all go out somewhere and eat. Frankly, I could use some solid grub myself and obviously you two don’t know how to feed yourselves. My treat.” He took a sip and looked up and his friends for a response. 

“I’d have to shower, I’m not exactly presentable.” Indrid pauses and chugs his nog. “I’ll be out in sixteen minutes” He rushed into his bedroom and shut the door before the other two could react. 

Duck laughed and watched as Aubrey took a seat next to him. She took a skeptical glance at the mug in Duck’s hands, cupped and close to his chest. 

“So, Duck” Her tone was already reminiscent of Jane’s, his little sister poked fun at him constantly. She grinned at him and continued to tease. ”Since when do you like eggnog so much?.”

“uh ’scuse you?” Duck choked mid-sip. 

“Yeah, don’t you remember? Back at the ski trip? Jake said he was excited to get down on some of that nasty egg-milk but you were like ‘aw nah that shits gross’” Aubrey jabbed him with her elbow and mimicked his voice. He shook his head and gave a defeated laugh. Duck had almost no recollection of what she was talking about.

“To be fair, Aubrey, that was whole calendar month ago, and also I hadn’t had since I was maybe eighteen. I didn’t like a lot of good shit back then.” He finished off the drink and laughed. She had a point though, he didn’t even think about trying nog again before meeting Indrid. He’d get offered it at Christmas parties and waved it off, but now it’s almost grown on him. He forced his train of thought to focus on a more solid comeback to her mockery. “Also, you’re one to talk, you forget about near every conversation ten minutes after the fact”

Aubrey laughed and the banter continued for awhile and the conversation, to Duck’s relief, had shifted in topic. Their goofs came to a standstill when they heard a short scream and an awkward thud. They looked at each other and Duck stood up.

“Indrid? You good in there?” Duck yelled to the opposite end of the trailer. There was silence for a moment. Aubrey also stood and walked forward a bit. 

“Yeah! I’m fine.” They heard Indrid’s voice pained and presumably still on the ground. “I’m just a dumb bastard I’ll be out in a minute”

Duck chuckled to himself. Aubrey watched him intently as he did so and as, a few moments later, Indrid stepped out of his bedroom. His hair was poorly dried and shaggy and he now had three more layers of winter clothing on. Indrid looked super cozy under the near nautical mile of fabric he had put himself under. He put on a pair of gloves he had on a table near the door and looked over at his two guests, giving awkward smile slightly masked by a light scarf.

“I’m gonna warm up the truck, be right back” Duck said, ignoring a smirk from Aubrey and nodding to Indrid as he walks out the door, gently shutting the door behind himself. The two sat in silence for a moment. Indrid was looking into the multitude of futures, he was puzzled. In every one of them, Aubrey sat alone. Duck was instead seated next to him, both in the diner and on the ride there. Every time Aubrey found a new reason for this arrangement and made it apparent that this is how she wanted it to be. One of which was her spilling water on the booth next to her claiming that it was an accident but anyone with any level of perception could tell otherwise. In confused amusement, Indrid let out a noncommittal and soft laugh under his breath. Aubrey looked over at him, his gaze stayed glued to the wall of the Winnebago. The uncomfortable silence lasted for a few minutes before Duck’s voice was heard from outside.

“Alright gang, hop in, the heater is on full blast.” Duck called out. Though Indrid had been the first one out the door, Aubrey raced in front of him and hopped in the back seat. Indrid climbed into the front seat and buckled himself in. The sounds of snow and gravel began once more as Duck pulled the truck out of the parking lot. Indrid followed Duck’s movements closely, he watched as his hands moved easily across the steering wheel and his eyes began to focus on the road. Indrid was an atrocious driver. You’d think spending so many years on Earth would lend itself to becoming quite proficient at it, but he just was. This was mainly due to him getting distracted by the plethora of new visions that flooded in as he started the engine. Duck, on the other hand, was concentrated. Concentrated up until a loud noise that had been the back of Indrid’s mind for nearly a full minute blared inside the truck. Duck’s grip tightened as Aubrey thrust herself forward and cranked up some music. The music was roaring and it echoed throughout most of the futures Indrid saw. Duck noticed that he had gotten startled too and turned it down.

“Jesus Christ, Thanks for the warning, Aubrey.” Duck said, making mental notes of where he was on the road. 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to make it that loud.” Aubrey settles back into her seat and buckled her seatbelt again. The music kept going for a while and eventually changed to something with a steady beat. Stomp Stomp Clap. Indrid recognized it before it even started. Duck and Aubrey both grinned at each other and joined in with the radio, returning to the same energy concert they were having on their way to the trailer park. Indrid observed the scene curiously. He’d only known the two of them for a few days and it was a very professional situation they found themselves in. Seeing them goof off without the weight of the last abomination on their shoulders was strange but almost relaxing. They’d been his only contact for God knows how long and having them be more jovial than usual was refreshing. As they got into the chorus Indrid couldn’t help but nod his head to the beat. Duck looked over with a soft grin before turning his view back to the road.

“You a Queen fan, Indrid? Duck asked as eventually, the music moved on to a new track. Indrid had no idea what this one was and seemingly neither did the other two. Indrid shrugged and watched out the window as they passed Crypto-Vapour, the place was familiar to him because it was on the way to where Indrid usually got his eggnog and other essentials and not at all because he vapes. 

“I guess so, I don’t really listen to music all that much, but they’re good.” He said softly.

“I know this is going to sound a little rude so pardon me. If there’s nothing big happening that you need to predict or whatever, what do you do all day?” Duck glanced over back at Indrid as he responded. The Winnebago was cluttered yet seemingly baron every time they had visited. The only real signs of any hobbies were the scattered specialty pencils and sketchbook papers strewn about. Other than that and some novels Duck assumed to be from Sylvain given their strange appearance, his home showed signs of his day to day being rather bland. 

“Well, I . . . ” Indrid paused and took a quick glimpse into the futures apparent to him. None of them showed either Aubrey or Duck reacting dramatically to the truth. He breathed a near silent huff of relief and finished his thought. “If I’m being honest, not a lot. I tend to do some sketches unrelated to any major possible futures just so I stay busy and keep my skills sharp. I go shopping at least every two weeks but other than that I don’t get out. Most of my off time is also is spent surveying futures unrelated to the abominations as well. Also a bunch of naps, like a lot.”

“Well shit, Indrid, glad you’ve befriended us then. You can chill with Aubrey, Ned, and I when we’re free” Duck laughed quietly. Indrid smiled warmly, mostly hidden under his scarf. He had worried about pushing the trio away because his immense lack of social skills and less than orderly home but now those worries began to diminish. The truck pulled a parking spot next to a large window. They got out and Aubrey grabbed a bag she had under her seat. Indrid looked at her quizzically as she swung it over he shoulder, not the spilled water future for sure.

The building looked rustic and homey but even better, it looked warm. They all got out and walked around to the front. There was an old rusted sign reading Everpine Diner across it in dark green cursive letters. There were little tree decals on either side of the sign and another on the glass on the door. Through the large windows between the curtains, they could see millions of Christmas decorations. There were lights and garland strung between the windows and doorways both inside and out and a massive tree could be barely seen from their view outside. Duck held the door for Aubrey and Indrid and then chuckled as they passed. “Last time I was here I got kicked out for getting high with Juno in the bathroom, when we were dumb teenagers of course. Here’s hoping none of ‘em remember me.”

The interior of the diner was mostly wooden like Amnesty Lodge was, the whole cozy Christmas aesthetic pooled together into one building. There was someone waiting with a vibe clearly opposing that of the rest of the diner. They greeted the group warmly regardless and showed them to a booth. Duck sat down first, resting his coat on a hook at the end of the booth, and grabbing three menus from the waiter. Quickly, Aubrey sat opposite of him with her bag and coat settled carefully by her side. Indrid then took the only free spot. The massive pane of glass was cold to the point where it nearly radiated the chill so Indrid was thankful Duck had sat there instead. Sitting immediately next to him, Indrid could almost feel some of the heat remaining from the truck even through his thick coat that he wore. Duck looked with a faint smile down at his menu, surveying each item. Indrid followed Duck’s eyes as they scanned over a page twice before nodding, almost imperceptibly to himself. Looking down at his own menu, Indrid tried to make a decision that wasn’t too similar to his usual ‘diet’. After everyone decided, they made mindless banter until different waiter, more chipper and in the Christmas spirit, whipped around and took their drinks and orders, taking the menus with her. When she was out of earshot, Aubrey craned her neck and looked at their surroundings, the place was nearly empty minus an old couple at the opposite side of the room and a man with two rowdy kids running around their table at the far end. 

“Okay so Indrid, I meant to ask earlier but how’d the goatman actually get the drop on you?” She whispered, leaning in closer to the two men. Duck glanced at Aubrey with a hint of worry in his eyes and then over at Indrid. Duck knew that he probably didn’t want to talk about in public, even if there wasn’t anyone immediately next to them. Indrid sighed quietly and also took note of their surroundings as well before speaking in a hushed tone.

“Well, I saw that he was going to attack me. I knew it was going to happen at some point almost immediately after you left but I knew you three were already pressed for time so I didn’t bother to try and get you to come back. I couldn’t pin down exactly when it would happen, I was too distracted and in my head to sort through vast futures that sprouted up when you brought him into my home. I was busy working on his disguise whe-”

“Which actor was he going to look like?” Aubrey interrupted. Indrid smiled and Duck chuckled softly next to him. “This is so important, like crazy important, to the mental image I’m crafting. Was it a different Ryan?”

“I did think about making him look like Ryan Reynolds but honestly I felt like we had drawn enough attention to our work at that point. Anyways, I was in the middle of making a completely original veil for our new pal when he slipped out of his restraints. I turned around in time and tried to move out of the way before he could swing one of my space heaters at me but he got me in the arm pretty good.” As he says that he pulled back the sleeve on his coat to reveal a large burn on his upper arm. Aubrey gasped and Duck studied the wound. He’d seen countless burns in his years of being a Park Ranger and also being an older sibling to Jane, who proved to be a little bit of a clown when it came to fire. He looked up at Indrid and was about to ask if he could check it out but before he spoke Indrid slowly nodded. It didn’t look severe and it seemed to already be treated well enough. As he was finishing his inspection, Indrid continued. “He managed to put two of those out of commision during the tussle. He made quite a mess of both my home and myself. I may have clairvoyance but I’m not the most imposing figure and I definitely am not built for close quarters combat.”

“God, Indrid if we knew this was gonna happen one of us could’ve stayed behind. You shouldn’t have had to try to fend him all on your own.” Duck pulled away from the wound and Indrid covered it back up with his sleeve. Indrid felt uncomfortably warm before Duck had pulled his arm down and took a moment to compose himself before responding.

“That’s very kind of you but it’s in the past, there’s no way you could’ve known save for me telling you”

“Also, If that starts acting up, you let me now. Alright?”

“Sure thing, Duck” Indrid could barely get the words out. He slumped over ever so slightly, avoiding both Duck and Aubrey’s eyes. He didn’t like having people worry about him, he also hadn’t had anyone in his life who would worry about him in what seemed like forever. Indrid felt good having people to back him up but the anxiety and worry that he felt for them and their futures was almost not even worth it. He’d rather feel lonely than deal with that weight on his conscience most days. Duck noticed Indrid’s change in posture and cast him a worried look. He sat up once more and smiled loosely at Duck. For a moment, all they did was look at each other. Duck’s eyes were very unique, while not necessarily unnatural like Indrid’s, they weren’t exactly the norm. One was a warm, deep brown that matched his disposition. The other was a bright blue, vibrant and equally deep. Indrid broke the stare off first, moving his gaze to the countless decorations. Duck looked away as well, shifting in his seat. The tension remained until, just a minute later, Indrid stiffened and started to stand up. 

“Where are you going?” Duck said, almost reflexively reaching out for his arm. Indrid turns after sliding out of the booth. He looked worried, he gazed across the diner before speaking.

“The girl at that table and her little sibling are roughhousing, in two minutes they’re going to take it a little too far. The father is going to ask for a to-go box and will be absent from the table. The sister will get pushed by the younger one into the table, hitting her head. She’ll be ultimately unharmed but . . .” Indrid trailed off and was focused on the table as the father scolded the children quietly before leaving for the front desk. Indrid assessed to himself the best way in and stepped forward before being stopped by Aubrey. 

“If she’s going to be okay I don’t think it’s a good idea to approach random kids,” Aubrey said. “Like, I’m all for helping her avoid a hospital trip but a strange bony man coming out of nowhere to talk to a couple of kids? We might have to pass on that one.”

Indrid shifted on his feet uncomfortably. Aubrey had a point but still, he felt wrong. Collateral damage and innocent injuries were Indrid’s least favorite things. He knew sometimes it was unavoidable but in cases like this, he wished he could turn off his power. There was no right thing to do and Indrid, regrettably, knew that. He sat down and sighed. Indrid seized up as he felt something comforting and warm on his shoulder. Duck.’s hand was pressed reassuringly onto him. The warmth from before threatened to shift all the way up Indrid’s neck, he felt nauseous. He cast Duck a weak smile and glued his eyes to a festive bow on one of the light fixtures as he heard the little girl cry out. 

The father ran over and cradled the girl in his arms, telling her she was okay. A nearby waiter also checked in on them before he and his family left, leaving a sum of cash and their food behind. The restaurant took a moment to resume the comfortable atmosphere. The table was quiet and still. Duck’s hand didn’t move until the waitress approached with their food. Duck and Aubrey thanked her as she placed their plates in front of them but Indrid continued to stare at the light until she passed. When she left he looked down at the food with a soft grin.

“So uh. What’s going on with Ned? Was he busy or. . .” Indrid asked purely to break the tension. He knew something happened at the Cryptonimica, there were futures where police sirens rang through the dark streets but none of those came to pass. He saw someone he didn’t recognize in there for sure and that was probably tied to Ned’s absence. 

“He was acting strange this morning, more than usual, and he kind of blew us off when we asked him about coming.” Aubrey said, piling a large piece of french toast onto her fork.

“Yeah, yesterday was rough for everyone so I’m not surprised he did.” When Duck said that his eyes nearly clouded over with a nearly unreadable emotion. Guilt? Confusion? Anger? Neither Aubrey nor Indrid could really pin it down. He looked distracted by something but he quickly pulled himself back to the conversation. 

“You alright, Duck?” Aubrey and Indrid asked in unison, it wasn’t was unnatural and unnerving as it usually was when he talked with people, almost like it was also his immediate reaction. Duck looked at the both of them with an obviously fake smile.

“Uh yeah, I just . . . shit . . . slept on the wrong side of the. . . wait fuck, it’s wake up, isn’t it? I woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” Duck stammered, signaling Aubrey to immediately doubt the next bullshit excuse that left him. “My cat she was . . . just . . . really rowdy last night.”

“Duck, I’ve met Rhodey, she’s the least ‘rowdy’ cat on earth. What’s really going on?” Aubrey tried to make eye contact but Duck’s shifted down to the food.

“Wow! Guys, have you tried the eggs? They’re phenomenal!” Duck exclaimed with forced enthusiasm. Indrid felt himself laugh as Duck said it but it sounded much closer to a faint giggle. “It’s uh, It’s nothing that we need to worry about during our nice friendly brunch, Aubrey.”

After a few minutes of silence, the conversation kicked back up, less awkward this time. Aubrey eventually told some story about her trying to swindle a juul out of a kid for ‘special effects’ during a show she did out west and Duck described how exactly he and his best friend got kicked out of this particular diner. Being around Aubrey and Duck, listening to them goof around and contributing to the jokes, it made Indrid indescribably happy. He felt, for the first time in a while, like he belonged with them. He enjoyed making them laugh, especially Duck. If someone made a good enough joke, his eyes would squint up and his face would go pink a bit. 

They finished eating and Duck paid the waitress. While walking out, both Indrid and Aubrey takes a second to thank Duck for the meal. They entered the truck and let it run for a minute before turning on the heat. Once they warmed up enough they pulled out of the driveway and headed back to the RV park. They listened to music again but not as lively as they did on the way there. Aubrey talked about her plans with Jake and Dani later and then followed a tangent about Dani for a decent amount of the ride. The familiar crunch of gravel signified their arrival, distracting her from arguing with Duck about the meaning behind her and Dani holding hands. The truck pulled to a stop and Indrid smiled brightly at his two friends.

“I’d like to thank you both for the mug and my glasses, and of course for the brunch, Duck” Indrid said, resting his hand on the handle. “I know you both have things you need to get to so I won’t keep you much longer. Will I see you guys again soon?”

“You can count on it, partner” Duck smiled, turning down the heat now that Indrid opened the door to leave. “Wait, Indrid . . .”

“Yes?” He sat with his legs already out of the door.

“You gonna be warm enough in there?” 

“I’ll be just fine, Duck.” Indrid felt nauseous again. They said their goodbyes and as he stepped into his home he turned to watch them leave. Once they pulled out he closed the door, sat down on his couch, and just grinned. After a few moments, he shed his winter wear and wrapped himself in a blanket instead. He grabbed his sketchbook and pencils and got to work on some new pieces.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapters a little messy but you know what? it'll be fine

Two nights after the brunch, the moon hung high above the clouds amongst shimmering stars, shining a soft light through the heavy snowflakes cascading down to the world. The horizon was dark and the town of Kepler felt silent. Most of the citizens had abandoned the roads to brace themselves for an impending storm. At Amnesty Lodge, Barclay served a warm dinner he had just finished to the residents. Within the walls of the Cryptonomica, Ned locks up, knowing well that with the storm, his business day is over. The people all huddled in their homes in anticipation for the snow. Duck’s mind wasn’t on the weather, though. It wasn’t focused on his rough commute to work the next day or the small pile of presents he still had to wrap. His concern centered around the time. He sat on his couch next to Rhodey, deep in her slumber, and looked at the clock solemnly.

6:13 pm. 

Duck’s breath got tight as he stared. He sighed as the minute switched over. Duck knew nothing would change within that minute or in the ones that followed it. No loud voice projecting through the still night telling him to commit to a future he didn’t want. No bright light forcing a destiny designed for someone Duck thought he could never be in his face. No Minerva. He looked at the clock once more.

6:15. 

Duck’s head fell into his palms and he sat there for a long while. After all this work, all those hours spent training, all those years denying his truth. And Leo? It was almost too much to think about. On top of everything he no longer received his visions. No waking up in the middle of the night, left sweaty and shaken by scenes of the future. This could've been seen as a plus before Duck joined the Pineguard. Up until now, he didn’t think they were helpful, nothing more than dreams. Now that he began to understand them, find them useful and important. They were just gone along with his spectral mentor.

Duck gently ruffled his cat’s fur before standing and stretching. He stared his keys, then to the window. A cold wind picked up, a soft howl just beyond the glass. Duck gripped his cold keys in hand and locked the front door behind him as he left. The snow came down in sheets but Duck wasn’t worried. After a lifetime in Kepler, he’d grown used to driving down the winding roads in the winter. The truck sputtered to a start and he sat in the cold for a minute before blasting his heat and pulling out of the driveway. The road was empty minus a lone plow making futile work to drive back the excessive snow. The way to Indrid’s was a relaxing and easy drive even in the middle of a winter storm. While being convenient, the roads leading to his friend’s trailer was scenic, after you passed certain venues of course. There was a particular stretch of the drive that lent itself to the particular state of mind Duck was in. It was long, straight and wide, contrasting that of the twisted and rapid-fire thoughts going off in Duck’s head. 

What was he even going to say? The only reason he was going at all was because he knew damn well he couldn’t go to his other friends. Ned had been distant lately and probably was dealing with his own onslaught of issues. Aubrey would've listened and tried to help but in all honesty, neither of them would understand. Indrid and Duck had a shared experience to an extent with the prophetic powers. While Duck’s had been rooted in dreams, more accurately, nightmares, Indrid would be the only person Duck knew that would come close to understanding. Even if Indrid couldn’t offer advice on how to deal with the absence of visions, getting it off of his chest still seemed detrimental. 

His truck rolled to a stop on the gravel and Duck sat there. He slouched in his seat and stared at the Winnebago. His stomach was tight, and along with his already muddled thoughts, his head nearly started spinning. He rested his forehead on the wheel, snapping his eyes and holding them shut as if to try and block out the near whirlwind taking place inside. Duck took a beat to think about what he was doing before he heard a voice over the faint howls of the wind. 

“Duck?” He looked up abruptly to see Indrid standing, cracking the Winnebago door open. “What on earth are you doing out there?”

“Uhh” Duck froze before eventually opening the car door and stepping out. “I wanted to talk about somethin’ if you don't mind.”

“Of course, Duck. Hurry on inside, can't have you catching your death out here.” Indrid opened the door wider, letting Duck step through before closing it as quickly. The room warm but, like a few days ago, nowhere near as warm as usual. The blistering heat was reduced to the comforting warmth of the single space heater. Indrid, however, seemed to be less comfortable and more along the lines of frigid. He wore the same hoodie from last time but the hood was up. He had wrapped himself in two soft blankets and wore them as false capes as he walked. He offered a seat to Duck and began to prepare something as he spoke. “Now I know, partially, what you're here to talk about but what I want to know is why you thought it's important enough to go driving through a blizzard for.”

“Well, shit. I wasn't really thinkin’ it through I just kind of . . . drove over, which, admittedly, is a little rude of me. I should've called or somethin’ bu-” Duck got cut off as Indrid passed him a warm cup of cocoa, which was strange given the fact that the only proof that man drank anything other than eggnog was the Capri-Sun. 

“No, no. It's fine! I saw a future where you did call and then many where you just came, either way, you're not unwelcome here. I rather enjoy your company.” Indrid says with a grin before dropping it as he unpacked what he just said in his head. Duck felt a warmth moving up to his cheeks. Indrid headed back into the kitchen to make his own cup, looking back to Duck as he began to speak again.

“Feelings mutual, Indrid. But, uh, the reason I came out here, it's kind of stupid now that I'm runnin’ it over in my head but, you know how I get those dream visions? Like prophecies and shit? ” Duck asked, resting his free hand on the back of his neck. Indrid responded with a soft and quiet ‘mhm’, waiting patiently for him to continue. “Well, recently they've gone away. The place they were comin’ from, or the person rather . . . I don't really know the ins and outs of it if I’m being completely honest. But Minerva, she was the one training me up and given me these dreams, she's been disconnected from me and uh,”

Indrid watched him behind the deep rose-colored glasses. Duck looked to the floor or around the room most of the time while describing the loss of his visions. Right before he stopped, Duck looked up, matching Indrid’s gaze. Duck sighed and continued, not breaking eye contact for a second.

“I'm really scared. I mean that last abomination nearly did us all in, and there was almost a ton of collateral. Like, shit, that damn tree took out Danimal of all people. Those visions were startin’ to be helpful and now I’ve got nothin’. I have a gross dented sword that talks and shit but I’m no master swordsman. I'm tough, yes, I'm experienced at this point, yeah, but still I'm . . . I've said this a few months back and Aubrey gassed me up pretty well when I did but, I am just a guy, even more so now. I have no reason to be the damn Chosen One and I'm even less qualified now that Minnie isn’t here to train me.” Duck has realized his voice had steadily been raising as he vented, not yelling but but he was clearly getting tense. He paused and let out an awkward laugh. Indrid’s expression had barely shifted, it became softer as Duck spoke but that’s about it. He had been leaning forward on the counter facing Duck, just listening to him ramble. “Sorry, I-”

Indrid said the apology at the same time, but when he said it, his tone made it seem more like a question. Indrid shifted out of the kitchen and sat near Duck on the sofa. He thought for a second before finally speaking up. “Duck, you have nothing to apologize for. I used to have issues with my visions as well when I was young, yours seem to be a bit more permanent, sure, but there are always workarounds. You don’t need them to help save people. Even then, they don’t make up your worth as a ‘Chosen One’, whatever that means.” Duck let out a quick huff of breath and seemed to give up his tense posture in turn for slumping in on the sofa’s backrest. Noting that he had helped him relax a little, Indrid continued on. “As for the rest of it? I don’t think you should worry too much. I saw your escapades with both abominations you’ve faced before that tree. I knew from the beginning, you three were going to be amazing. I only ever interfered when there was something really pressing to worry about.”

“Really? That sounds a little bullshit but okay.” Duck smiled at Indrid, curiously. 

“It’s a little bullshit, I saw a few futures where either you or Ned went home, most of them were very Ned-centric.” Indrid chuckled to himself and Duck laughed along. The room went quiet as the two simply smiled to themselves, almost oblivious to the passage of time. Indrid broke the warm silence first. “How is Ned by the way? Anything new since we last spoke?”

“God, who knows? I checked in on him yesterday and made plans with him and Aubrey but he’s been in such a weird way recently who knows if he’ll actually show. Aubrey is, uh, taking Dani karaoke but she didn’t want it to be a ‘date’, per se, so she decided to drag Ned and me along.” Duck laughed.

“Sounds like fun, you’re both good singers.” Indrid took a sip from his eggnog. In the truck, Duck and Aubrey’s little performance was messy and disorganized but they weren’t bad by any means. Indrid looked up and saw Duck looking down at his mug, slightly red in the face.

“You know, Indrid. You could always join us. It’s on Saturday.” Duck laughed slightly as he said it. “That way if Ned is either acting weird and distant still or doesn’t even come I won’t be completely third wheeling it.”

“I’d love to.” Indrid said, partially interrupting the tail end of the sentence. Just like in the diner they shared a moment of just looking at each other. Duck’s breath shortened the longer it stayed. A single vision showed itself to Indrid, the most improbable kind, the lone variable. It didn’t show something immediate or even in the trailer. They were out in the snow, close together. Alone in the street. I was warm and heartfelt but too close. Indrid looked away from Duck quickly, the bright smile dropping from his face slightly.

“Indrid? You, uh. You alright?” Duck leaned in towards Indrid slightly, his stomach flipped violently and his nausea returned in a wave.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I think I just got hold of some bad nog” Indrid half-heartedly laughed to himself, indeed a better liar than Duck was. He breathed a mute sigh of relief as Duck shot him a sympathetic smile and seemed to believe him. 

“If you’re not feeling too hot I can head back home, I wouldn’t want to bother you.” Duck said. “Plus I should get back to make dinner before it gets too late.”

“Of course, Duck. Thanks for stopping by” Indrid said standing up.

“No problem. And thank you for letting me vent.”

“Anytime, Duck. Your ride home looks safe in all timelines but just for extra luck, stay safe.” Indrid began to lead him out the door attempting to avoid as much eye contact as possible. Duck was halfway through a goodbye before he looked back at the bundled up man and the lone space heater. 

“You absolutely sure you’re gonna be warm enough in here? Forecasts say this storms gonna get even worse.” Duck smirked at him as Indrid shook his head dismissively. 

“I’m going to be fine, I promise.” Indrid smiled a small yet genuine grin. He’d be cold, he knew that but what he saw earlier that had made his insides spin would become more probable if he took the offer to stay at Duck’s much warmer home.

“Alright, see you Saturday at the karaoke place. The one by Ned’s place by the way. Hope you feel better, Indrid. Goodnight.” Duck patted Indrid on the back as he walked past him, out the door and into wind and snow. 

“Sleep well, Duck” Indrid sighed as Duck stepped down into the fresh layer of snow. He surveyed the futures over and over, making certain his journey would be safe no matter what. Worst case scenario, in a single near impossible future he got into a minor fender bender. He would be safe. That was for sure. 

He held the door open until the truck started. The engine began to hum and Indrid closed his trailer off from the winter storm. He walked over to his neat stack of sketchbooks and opened them. He passed through the mindless ones he did of people he missed, people he lost, or people he’d seen when he left his Winnebago. There were more recent ones of him meeting the Pineguard. Discussing their need to take his glasses and him actually taking them off. He had a drawing of Keith, injured and unconscious by the tree and his now ruined vehicle. He also had sketches from their visit to the diner, a lot of sketches. A few were of the three of them in the car, one of them at the doors of the Everpine Diner, and many of them inside. The one Indrid was proudest of was one of Duck laughing, the hard and red-faced laugh he only did a few times during that brunch. The drawing almost exactly depicted the pure joy that Duck radiated when he did that. He came across a blank page and gripped the pencil in his hand. The vision that made him sick wouldn’t leave his head. Chances of them embracing like that in the snowy street were slim as ever and Indrid couldn’t bring himself to think about why it stuck out as much as the certain timelines. He worked over the page for almost an hour, scratching at the thick paper with the pencil, erasing mistakes, and surveying it from afar. He perfected it. When visions were particularly vibrant, drawing them in precise accuracy worked as a great way to get them to subdue themselves in his mind, letting him focus on other and more pressing matters. He hoped it would work the same for this outlier. 

 

Thanks to the storm he didn’t have to be in to work as early this morning which gave him time to wrap Juno and her girlfriend, Felicity’s present before they headed off to Maryland. Duck started his truck and began his way to the station. His mind was clearer than last night, not muddled with the worries of his fate and what would become of it. Duck was glad he went to see Indrid, even more so now that he invited him to karaoke so it wasn’t just him and Ned. After work he was going to make a pitstop to Amnesty Lodge and clue Aubrey in on the updated plans.

Duck’s commute to work was even more scenic and peaceful than the ride to Indrid’s place. There was a point where the many commercial buildings that were clustered in and around Kepler slowly stopped passing, signaling he was headed for the near untouched wilderness. Being out in the woods was relaxing for Duck, more than anything else in the world. After a few hours out there, you can almost convince yourself you are the only person on earth, exploring the gentle and quiet winter forest and it was the feeling of pure serenity to him. In the pines, it was him and the ambient sound of the woods. Duck could only describe it as tranquil. After a few more minutes down the road, Duck pulled in to the parking lot and grabbed his bag and the present. The station was decorated in a similar way to the diner and the lodge have been since early December. As he entered, Juno and another ranger on the other side of the room smiled and waved at him.

“Hey, Duck. Glad you made it in safe.” Juno called out to him, reaching behind her desk to grab something. She pulled up two wrapped boxes, the larger with Duck’s name on it and the smaller with Rhodey’s. Every year she got Rhodey a small present which everyone thought was silly but Duck thought it was sweet. “Merry Christmas, buster”

“Same to you, Juno.” Duck handed her the box that was the size of the microwave after she passed him his presents. “I know we usually wait til the actual day to open ‘em but I got a feeling I wanna see your reaction to the card.”

“Okay?” She took the box into her arms and took the small red card that had been taped neatly to the top. She opened it up and pulled out three things. The first was the standard Christmas card, inside being a wholesome note but that wasn’t the highlight. The other two things were tickets to a cruise. Juno gasped eagerly when she saw them, reading them closely. “Holy shit, Duck! You bastard, you didn’t have to . . .”

“‘S not even the best bit, all expenses paid, scheduled for second week of August. And, if I’m not messed up, I’m pretty sure her birthday’s in there somewhere..” Duck said, the smile of a man who just gave his best friend the world’s greatest present worn proudly his face. She ran up and hugged him. 

“Man, my gifts are gonna look like shit in comparison, this means the world, Duck.” She pulled back from the hug and looked back down at the tickets before tucking them and the card back in the envelope. “Fuck, thank you. Felicity’s gonna be so excited.”

“No problem.” Duck laughed.

“Alright, well I gotta head out and check out a couple of kids that are causing trouble by a campsite so I’ll catch you later.” Juno said as grabbed radio, putting her hat firmly on her head.

“Later.” After settling in to his own desk, Duck headed out as well. Since Juno and another ranger, Shawn, were on calls for obnoxious campers and other nuisances, Duck’s duty was to set out and check on the flora. Last winter a sizeable section of pine trees got diseased pretty bad and the surrounding area needed to be checked out thoroughly. The snow crunched softly under his boots, other than that and a generator outside the station it was a silent morning. The sun peaked past the clouds, beaming light down onto the forest floor through the breaks in the branches. The section he needed to visit was a short walk from the station so Duck saw no reason to pass up on a peaceful stroll. The cold didn’t bother him and he enjoyed the time to clear his head. Left alone with his thoughts anywhere else on earth would leave him worrying about whether or not he locked his door, what he was going to wear for the karaoke night, or even more troublesome, Minerva. Out here, though, his head never was clouded with doubts and worries. It was his space, where he didn’t have to worry about fate and destiny or far less meaningful yet still worrying things. 

Duck reached the sector of the forest he needed to be. He began examining the marked trees and a few of the surrounding ones that had said to been checked recently, just to make sure. He was well into his work, maybe a half of an hour left in his shift. It had gotten significantly colder and began to snow steadily. It was as he was headed back to the station when he heard a familiar panicked yelp. Duck reflexively turned to face it, reaching to his side where he usually kept Beacon, who was still at home in the underwear drawer. He started towards the sound and called out.

“Indrid? That you, partner? You alright” Duck neared where the yell had came from, turning past a large tree. He saw a man, picking himself up from the ground after tripping over a particularly obnoxious, covered in snow and pine needles. Standing at his full height once more, Indrid shot an awkward wave at Duck. 

“Hey there! I’m fine!” Indrid said in a shaky tone. He looked frigid. “I know, I know. This part of the forest is closed off from the public but I came to warn you about something.”

“Shit, alright.” Duck laughed. “What’s wrong?”

“In thirty minutes on your way to the lodge you will be hit by a person in a truck slightly bigger than yours. You will be alright, worst case scenario you get badly bruised, but your vehicle will need pricey repairs.” Indrid said, he was worried even though Duck could barely tell through the glasses. 

“Well fuck, thank you for letting me know. Any idea how to avoid it?” Duck asked.

“Still working through that one, as soon as I saw that I paid more attention to getting here before you took off then honing in on the specifics.” Indrid brushed off the last of the snow and needles from the forest floor, shoving his ungloved hands deep in his coat pockets.

“Did . . . Did you walk here? Shit, that’s like an hour walk. Indrid, You didn’t have to come all this way in the cold to warn me about that. Here why don’t you head back to the station with me and get you warmed up in the truck, you can figure out a game plan on the way.” Duck motioned for Indrid to follow him and they started walking together towards the station. 

“Thank you, Duck.” Indrid said before he gazed off past the trees. He walked on autopilot almost as he skimmed through the futures, singling out the ones where both Duck and his truck were alright. It was hard for him to visualize without his myriad of sketches displayed out front but he strained himself to focus on the best way out. “If you . . . No, wait.” 

Silence. Duck watched Indrid closely. His glasses fogged up from his hot breath and and standing from the side of him, Duck see his eyes darting from one spot to another. Indrid was deep in thought for another five minutes and didn’t speak up until the station was about a hundred yards away. 

“Take me home first and instead of taking a left out of the RV park take a right. That way it’ll give you more time to let the other driver get through that road. They’ll be gone before your even halfway there!” Indrid said, almost triumphantly. His head was pounding, he wasn’t used to blasting through so many futures that were that far away, time wise. Now that he let up on his clairvoyance, his visions were all clouded and desaturated.

“Sounds like a plan.” Duck said before stopping to look casually into the window. Juno had the late shift and he knew she’d get nosy if she saw Indrid in there. She was busy reading something on her desk and would notice Indrid in Duck’s truck as long as he was in the backseat. “Alright, you’re gonna need to be quick and hop in the back. I’ll turn on the heat and then put my stuff away in the station. It shouldn’t take me too long.”

“Word. What’s with the recon, though? Can’t we just tell her I got lost in the forest and you’re taking me home?” Indrid said, making sure he wasn’t in sight of the window.

“Indrid, if there’s anythin’ you need to know about me, it’s that I’m a miserable liar.” Duck chuckled as he unlocked his car.

“That’s fair.” Indrid responded, quickly walking to the back of the truck and jumped in. “Toss me the keys, I can handle the air.”

“Alright, just don’t start the engine, it’s loud as hell.” Duck said, passing the keys to Indrid before shutting the door. He swiftly distanced himself from the truck and headed inside the station. As he stepped in she abruptly put down the card that the tickets were in, she smiled and waved at him and Duck returned the gesture. “Hey, partner, anything fun happen today?”

“Nothin’ to write home about. Some kid’s passing a blunt around an out of commission picnic area and told them to buzz off. That’s about it, and you?” Juno said, shifting the card back into the envelope.

“Nothing that’s completely out of the ordinary, for me at least.” Duck forced a smile. Juno smirked.

“We look at trees all day, Duck. What are you being vague for?” She chuckled but jumped as, almost as if on cue, a frightening sound roared from outside the station. “Jesus, Fuck me. Duck, was that your truck?”

“Uhhhh. Remote start? No. Aw, shit. Itchy Ignition? Naw, naw it’s um.” Duck seized up. “Damnit.”

Juno ran to the window, moving the curtain aside. Indrid was halfway between the front and back seat, arms reached up towards the keys. He visibly mouthing “shit” over and over.

“Who’s that? You know him?” Juno turned to Duck, a little worried. Duck audibly groaned for a half minute before sighing and finally speaking.

“Yeah, it’s a pal of mine. ‘S name’s Indrid. I’m taking him home after I clock out.” Duck scratched the back of his neck, refusing to make eye contact. 

“When did he get in there? He wasn’t there when I got back?” Juno pushed the curtain back into place.

“Just now, actually.” Duck blurted out, eyes glued to the curtain. 

“Alright, then. I’ll let you go take care of that mess.” She walked back to her desk. “Night, bud. Thanks for the tickets again, can’t wait to open the other one.”

“No problem, tell Felicity I said hey. Goodnight, Juno.” Duck said, putting his equipment away. He flashed a wave to Juno and headed out the door. Indrid at this point had moved to the passenger seat and was awkwardly grinning at Duck. He trudged through the snow towards the truck. Once he opened the door the heat spilled out, blisteringly hot. 

“Sorry about that, turns out I didn’t have it handled” Indrid said, sitting criss cross applesauce on the seat, already buckled.

“No shit. But she didn’t think it was a big deal so we’re in the clear.” Duck shut the door and drove away from the park station. Indrid and Duck had talked mindlessly throughout the drive. It almost felt like it went by too quickly. They lingered in the warmth of the truck for a short moment before Indrid shifted his legs out from under him, getting ready to step out.

“Thanks for the ride, Duck. You’re safe from here to Amnesty Lodge and all the way home.” Indrid grinned.

“Sure thing. Stay warm, partner. Goodnight.” Duck returned the smile.

“Will do.” Indrid felt warm as he said it, from more than just the heaters in the truck. He stepped out into the cold winter night and headed towards his trailer. Closing the door and listening to Duck’s truck pull out of the driveway.

 

Aubrey dashed from one end of the room to the other, a mountain of clothes piled in her arms. She laid them out on her neatly made bed and talked to herself quietly. She wanted to look great, the date, was Saturday but that didn’t mean she couldn’t plan ahead. A soft knock at the door pulled her from her half focused trance. 

“Come in!” She said while moving a jacket by a different but nearly identical pair of jeans. Duck entered the bedroom but before he could greet his friend, she interrupted him. “Okay so if I wear this shirt” Aubrey placed her hand on a top near the head of her bed. “and this jacket I pull off a darker look” She picked up the two articles of clothing and motioned to her face before throwing them both back onto the bed. “but I also may end up looking crazy. If I go lighter it may not show up if the place is dark, you feel?”

“Now, Aubrey, what about my fashion sense has lead you to believe that I of all people should make that decision?” Duck asked. She looked over at him and shrugged, clearly still waiting for his input. “You know what? Go all out, I’m assuming you’re going to still be wearing those shades.”

“Shit, you’re right.” Aubrey said, reflexively shifting the sunglasses up on her nose. She immediately turned around and thought for a second before setting her final decision aside. 

“What’s up with that anyway, it’s a real cool look but it’s also, last time I checked, December.” Duck chuckled, absentmindedly looking around Aubrey’s room. It was full of disorganized decorative clutter, mostly little souvenirs she’d picked up as a travelling magician. There were also a few figurines and plush toys set up on the shelves next to a picture of a younger Aubrey and two people Duck didn’t recognize. He looked back over to her, she had tensed up and didn’t return his gaze.

“It’s, uh, a protest?” Aubrey said audibly uncertain of her own words. “Against the capitalist drive of the Christmas season? No, that’s literally nothing. I don’t fuckin’ know. They’re cool, that’s it.” 

“Fair enough.” Duck chuckled. “So listen, uh. Because I’m not betting too hard that Ned’ll show on Saturday. I’ve invited another friend to -” Aubrey grinned and cut him off.

“Is it Juno? You’ve talked about her a ton. I’d love to meet her.”

“Nah, nah, she’s staying over with her girlfriend’s family after tomorrow. At least, I’m pretty sure.” As Duck said that, Aubrey’s face lit up with a grin that went from delighted to smug quickly.

“Who is it, then” 

“Indrid, he doesn’t get out enough so I thought I should bring him along.”

“I knew it” Aubrey giggled as she began to carry the clothes her closet. 

“Care to elaborate?” Duck scoffed. 

“Nope!” She exited her closet and shot him one more teasing glance before looking at the clock on her bedside table. “I promised Jake I’d play smash earlier so I gotta bounce, talk to you later, Duckolas.”

“See ya, Aubrey.” Duck laughed, following her out of her bedroom. Where she got the idea to give him a nickname for his nickname, he had no idea. Duck also had no idea what she meant by ‘I knew it’. He didn’t think inviting Indrid out to karaoke was some riddle she had to solve or some theory she’d proven correct. Duck shrugged it off and headed to his truck. On his way back to his apartment he took some mental notes on what he was gonna wear, since Aubrey was putting so much thought into it, of course.


End file.
